Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 6th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 5th Aug 26 at
3:58PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Blustery with showers into Scotland and northern England in the morning; wind and rain easing, sun breaking out with time, mild high temperatures. Risk more frequent showers and strong wind in the Peak District through morning, improving afternoon. Rare early showers in Wales, cloud clearing most hills.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Early showers and wind; dry afternoon with sun breaks
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 30mph at dawn with stronger gusts over east Cairngorms to 40mph. Easing and shifting westerly to 10-20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but affecting comfortable walking at times on some higher slopes in the morning when feeling distinctly chilly.
How Wet?
Showers fading
Showery rain most common toward the north in the morning, early persistent falls high Cairngorms. Tending to fade to be often dry by midday into afternoon. From dusk into night, patchy rain develops from the west, spreading east.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting towards tops, breaks above increasingly likely
Banks of cloud above 700 to 900m in the morning, lowest on northern Cairngorm slopes (as a fairly extensive layer). Lifting to higher slopes above 1100m during morning, breaks forming above most tops into afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy at dawn, sun increasingly breaking through for a patchwork of sunshine afternoon. Visibility becoming very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 7C, locally 8C on sun-exposed east slopes. Feeling near freezing, or as cold as -5C on higher tops in the early wind.
Freezing Level
Only just above freezing point on highest Cairngorms summits early in the day.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 7th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 5th Aug 26 at
3:58PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-30mph, trending towards stronger speeds, reaching 40-50mph later, strongest western Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly strenuous with considerable wind chill, and later arduous conditions over summits.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, more frequent west
Rain often affecting Monadhliath and western Cairngorms, heaviest falls towards Drumochter but some drier windows. More often dry to the east but some patches will drift here. A chance of easing more widely later.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to high terrain, chance breaks east
Shrouding terrain above 700-900m much of morning, lowest bases western hills with lower patches around rain. A lifting trend, particularly afternoon, 900m or above, bases may approach easternmost Cairngorms summits.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%, rising to 50% eastern Cairngorms
Sunshine and air clarity?
Best chance of sunny glimpses northeast Cairngorms, but otherwise cloudy. Excellent visibility where dry and below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 9C, or a degree milder easternmost hills. Feeling near freezing in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 8th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 5th Aug 26 at
3:58PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 35-45mph, strengthening, tops speeds to 55-60mph high west Cairngorms; may lessen later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking on high terrain with significant wind chill all day, strongest speeds may knock you off your feet.
How Wet?
Rain sets in, persistent south and west
Patchy rain from dawn, little reaching easternmost Cairngorms at first. Rain becomes more frequent, setting in around Drumochter and gradually more widely, extended heavy falls to the south and west.
Cloud on the hills?
Early high breaks east, becoming extensive
Summits likely in cloud from dawn, lowest bases west, towards middle slopes when rain occurs; high east Cairngorms may have clear windows. Cloud gradually fills in from the west, widely to middle slopes with patches to forest canopies south and west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% lowering to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy weak sun in the morning, good visibility out of cloud. Deteriorating to overcast and dull conditions with poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9 or 10C, rising up to 11C around Ben Avon; humid. Feeling near/below freezing in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Westerly winds prevail into the weekend and further weather fronts will come in off the Atlantic, bringing rain and low cloud to most mountains. Saturday into Sunday in particular will see extensive cloud and heavy rain across Scotland with strong wind, bands of rain passing to the south and east into England and Wales. A ridge of high pressure returns early next week for warmer temperatures and clearer hills, though western Scotland likely remains fairly cloudy with some drizzle on the high tops. Following this high pressure, west-southwesterly flow returns and a series of low pressure systems will pass west-to-east across the British Isles with periods of strong wind (sometimes gale-force), rain, and low cloud, western hill groups aways most affected. Unsettled conditions likely persist into next weekend.